Irish singer-songwriter Niall Horan is an artist who captured the hearts of millions of fans worldwide as a member of British boy band One Direction. But since the band’s demise in 2016, the young Irishman has embarked on his own adventure, carving out a bespoke solo career for himself, creating a surprise within the music industry. With his distinctive voice and catchy pop sounds, coupled with his guitar, Niall Horan has since become the pride of Ireland. Here’s a look back at the career of a young Irishman who has managed to outsmart the boy band codes, and put his talent to good use!
Niall James Horan was born on September 13, 1993 in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. He developed a passion for the guitar at an early age, and began performing songs in local pubs from the age of 11.
For the young boy, it was a revelation: he dreamed of a successful musical career.
In 2010, he decided to audition for the 7th season of the British TV show “The X Factor”. Unfortunately, he failed to qualify for the “Boys” category as a solo artist… but the jury felt his potential deserved their attention, as did 4 other boys who took part in the show.
The jury then had the idea of bringing them together to form the group “One Direction”. This boy band was then made up of Niall Horan, but also Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson.
One Direction – Fiona McKinlay – cc
Everything accelerates for Niall. The young Irishman is now part of a group that has everything to please. Boosted by the show’s notoriety, One Direction is a boy band that fascinates and arouses curiosity. It has to be said that these 5 boys have the merit of reviving a great classic of the genre, dear to Ireland and England alike: the boy-band.
Each member has his or her own personality and charm. A training program calibrated to appeal to teenage girls!
And X Factor’s gamble seems to have paid off: from the very first singles, the band’s success is immediate, with One Direction rocketing up the charts with singles such as“What Makes You Beautiful” and“One Thing“.
Now it’s time for the band to multiply albums and international tours. Over the years, One Direction has released five studio albums and sold over 70 million records worldwide.
Niall Horan plays a leading role in the band, distinguishing himself as singer and guitarist, and co-writing several songs. Fans are quickly captivated by his charming personality and humor, as well as his distinctive voice.
Unfortunately, their success was short-lived: after 6 intense years, One Direction decided to go their separate ways…
Niall Horan – marcen27 – cc
Following the dissolution of One Direction, Niall aspires to go it alone in the music world. Highly coveted, he quickly signed a contract with Capitol Records and released his first single“This Town” in 2016.
Fans welcome the new track, and the song reaches #9 in the UK chart and #20 in the US chart.
This first step encouraged Niall Horan to pursue his solo career and release a full-length album.
So in October 2017, Niall released his first solo album“Flicker“. The album is well received by critics and reaches number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.
This album plays the acoustic card and allows Niall Horan to show a completely new face, more assertive than in One Direction, where he showcases his talent for composition and singing.
The singles“Slow Hands” and“Too Much to Ask” established him as a talented international artist, who bounced back from his experience with One Direction.
Niall then released his second solo album “Heartbreak Weather” in March 2020. He then plans to go on tour to promote the album, but these plans are postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the end of the pandemic, Niall Horan has resumed his musical activities, and intends to resume touring and recording future studio albums.
Niall Horan – marcen27 – cc
Since the release of “Flicker”, Niall has collaborated with several artists, including country singer Maren Morris on the song “Seeing Blind” and pop singer Ariana Grande on the song “Over and Over Again”.
He has also forged a close friendship with his friend Lewis Capaldi, and has collaborated extensively with the singer. Between performances and live shows, he also took Lewis Capaldi to Ireland to show him around his native country. This resulted in a documentary entitled: “Niall Horan’s Homecoming: The Road to Mullingar with Lewis Capaldi “.
He has also toured the world solo, playing to packed houses.
In 2018, Niall joined the Flicker World Tour with concerts in Europe, Australia and Asia.
Since the start of his solo career, Niall Horan has been nominated for several awards, including the Brit Awards and the MTV Europe Music Awards.
Her single “Slow Hands” was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Niall also won Best Male Solo Artist at the Global Awards in 2018.
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